Revolver holster



Aug: 3, 1937. c. A. RAY

REVOLVER HOLSTER Filed March 16, 1956 VINVENTOR. CLIFFORD RA k FIG. 1.

A T TORNEY Patented Aug. 3, 1937 PATENT OFFICE REVOLVER HoLsTER Clifford A. Ray, Williams, Ariz.

Application March 16,

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to revolver holsters but more particularly to such holsters of the type wherein a safety latch is provided to prevent the accidental dislodgment, removal or withdrawal of the .revolver from the holster or its discharge while retained therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact holster provided withalatch mechanism of simple and rugged construction, whereby the revolver will be retained within the holster until it is intentionally withdrawnyanother object is to provide a retaining latch of a design such that Withdrawal may be easily and quickly had by the user of the revolver by a natural and simple movement of the arm and hand;. still another object is to provide such a retaining mechanism that thewithdrawal is made decid edly awkward or practically impossible by any one other than the bearer of the, arm. Other jects' will appear hereinafter. V

I attain these objects by the construction and devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

in which-- 1 Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation of the holster with a revolver in place therein, with the front portion of the holster sectioned off to show the posii tion of the revolver and the latching mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the holster alone as would be viewed from. the right hand of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged view of the thumb guard portion of the latching mechanism as would be viewed from the left hand side in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken on lines 4-4, Fig. 2'.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts of all views. v

The holster body as designated by numeral 2, is of somewhat conventional design and is shaped and fitted to fit the particular type of revolver, designated by numeral 3, that it is intended to carry.

While the illustration herewith is for a right handed holster, it is to be understood that this design will work equally well for either left .or

right handed holsters. a v

Thelatching mechanism consists of; a fiat steel spring 6 attached to the top or forward edge of the holster at a position about midway f rom the muzzle end and the top edge. This attachment may be effected by a bolt or rivet I and an in- .wardly bent tongue portion of.the spring 8. 6 At the upper end of this spring the latch, desig nated by numeral 4, is attached sov thatthere is a normal tension pressing its upper end toward,

5 the body of the holster, so that latch is normally 1936, Serial No. 69,146

forced inwardly and the vertical portion held tightly against the forward portion of the holster body.- In the preferred form, as shown in Fig. 4, the spring is bowed slightly so as to increase this normal tension. The latch l is formed of metal 5 7 having anangular bend to form a structure similar to an inverted L. The vertical portion is attached to the upper end of spring 6 by rivets 9, and the horizontal portion extends inwardly toward thebody of the holster and has an arcuate bend dependent on a radius struck off from the main point of fiexure-of spring 6. This is desig-' nated in Fig. lby the dotted lines 21'. This horizontal portion of the latch forms a stop bar 28, which is provided at its innermost edge with a raised ridge forming a dog 56. Above this dog is, a thumb guard l 0, having a semi-conical shape, and an arcuate section. This extends upwardly and to the left, following, angularly, the general contour-"of the handle H of revolver 3 and ends 2 approximately just back of the upper portion of this handle. The upper arched edge 12 of the thumb guard if) is flared and rounded and provided with beading to facilitate entrance into the tunnel l lgformed by its concaved lower face. 2-

To steady and prevent lateral movement of the latch, the horizontal portion extends through a slot iii in the upper part of the forward rounded edge of the holster body.

While the outer side of the holster is shown 1 removed in Fig. 1, the outline of its upper edge is indicated by dotted lines 29 and, as thus indicated, it will be understood that there is a dropor cut-away portion in this side to expose the trigger 26 of revolver 3. Thus the general structure of the holster permits at all times an easy grasp of thehandle H, and free access to the .trigger within trigger guard 20.

When the arm is fully inserted into the holster, the horizontal portion of the latch forming retainer bar 28 extends over hammer 5 of the revolver 3, and isretained in this position by the normal tension of spring 6. Dislodgment of the hammer frorn this position is prevented by dog It, and it is-best practice to fit the arm within the h-olster so'that there is a slight downward re silient pressure on the hammer by retainer bar 28. Thus the arm is held in place by the spring pressure which is exerted principally downwardly, although dislodgment of the arm is also main- 5.0 tamed by;the retention of the upper edge of thumb grip; ll of the hammer, by dog Hi. It is thus possible .to maintain a slight downward pressure of the retainer bar on the portion of the hammer ll by tension maintained by a midresistance to upward movementexerted by retainer bar 28 on the thumb p portion ll of hammer 5.

When it is desired to withdraw the arm, the natural movement of the bearer is to insert his thumb, designated by numeral 22 of the" dotted outline of the hand 23, within the tunnel [4, being the concave portion of thumb guard l0 following the upper contours of the revolver handle H, and the index finger 24 is naturally extended toward the trigger guard 20. As the hand of the operator is further moved in the act of gripping the arm, the thumb guard is naturally and necessarily forced upward andto the'right, taking the position indicated by the dotted outline 25, at which position it is held only solong as the thumb is inserted, since this position is maintained against the normal tension of spring 6. At the same time the index finger 24 has immediate access to trigger 26. .Moving the thumb guard l0 andzlatch to the position indicated by the outline handle I l while the index'finger is already in position on the trigger. This permits the arm to be not. only quickly grasped and withdrawn, but also withdrawn ready for firing. Since the index finger has free access to the trigger as soon as the handle is grasped in the act of withdrawing, it is not necessary to shift the position'of the hand afterthe arm is withdrawn from the holster, but the arm may be fired at once.

When the arm is to be re-inserted into the holster it will be obvious that, afterthe insertion of the muzzle, the hammer easily follows the'tunnel of the thumb guard forward and downward,

' until the thumb portion of the hammer H passes the edge l6 of the latch wherein it is again locked in position.

In the form herewith illustrated, the latch 4 operates on the backtip or thumb plate ll of the hammer 5 of revolver 3. It is to be understood, however, that in constructing holsters and latches for types of revolvers or other arms not having a hammer, the latch will operate on any similar convenient projection on, or attached to, the arm.

From the foregoing construction it will be apparent to those familiar with the art, that any one save the bearer of the arm will have diflie culty in holding the latch in released position and withdrawing'the arm at the same time. Any attempt to grasp the handle of the arm by any other. person would, necessarily, force the thumb guard Ill more tightly into closed position. On

' the other hand, the natural'movementof the bearer of the arm, as made in gripping the handle 11, is to place his thumb inposition to release the latch;

While I have herewith illustrated the preferred principles of my invention. Therefore, I wish to be limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A revolver holster comprising, in combination, a holster body having a rounded forward edge, a comparatively narrow rearward edge and interiorly shaped to substantially conform to the contour of the muzzle, cylinder and trigger mechanism of the revolver to be received therein, a latching mechanism adapted to ,yieldably retain said revolver within saidholster body comprising a vertically extending spring attached to the outside of the forward edge of said holster body, said spring being affixed at its lower end and having its upper end free to move, a latching bar attached tothe upper free end of said spring and extending substantially horizontally rearwardly through a slot in the forward edge of said holster body and thence to a position above the upper edge of the thumb guard of the hammer portion of a revolver carried in said holster body, a downwardly: extending dog attached to the rear end of said latching bar and a latch release consisting of an arched semi-conical segment affixed at its smaller end tothe rear end of said latching bar and extending thence; rearwardly at an angle substantially conformable to the upper edge of the handle of said: revolver carried in said holster, said thumb guard being positioned with its concave face'downward forming a tunnel-like guide way extending toward the hammer of said revolver, said upwardly extending spring being normallyifiexed against the outer face of the forward portion of said holster body whereby a forward movement of said thumb guard acts against the normal tension: of. said spring and forces said latching bar forward and outward through said slot in the forward edgeof said holster body whereby it is.removed froma position above the hammer on said revolver.v

2. A revolver holster comprising, in combination, aholsterbody shapedto substantially conform to the contour of the muzzle, cylinder and triggerguard of the arm to be carried therein, whereby said ar'm may be restrained therein ,,against forward. and rearward movement, and

having the outer sheath portion cut away to permit access to the trigger of the arm, together with a latching mechanism, including a vertically positioned spring attached at its lower end to the outside of the forward: portion of the holster body, being free to flex independent of the holster body, a substantially horizontal latch bar at its upper end extending over and, cooperating with the outermost portionof the hammer of the arm within said holster body to form means of retention of the arm when said spring is in normal position, and unlat'ching means, including'a conical concave-convex hood. attached to the rear end of said latchbar and extending over the handle portion of the arm within said holster to provide a tunnel like recess intermediate said plate andthe upper portion-of said arm to receive the thumb of the bearer of the arm whereby said latch bar may be forced forwardagainst the tension ofsaid'vertical spring to effect release of the arm from said holster body.

3; Arevolver holster comprising, in combination, a holster body adapted to receive the arm and yieldably retain same against forward and rearward play, a latching mechanism to retain said arm within said holster body comprising a latch'bar, operative over the projecting portion of the hammer of the arm retained within said holster body, supported on a vertically extending spring attached at its lower end to said holster body, flexing independently of the holster body,

and normally holding said latch bar rearward,

and over the hammer of said arm within said holster, and latch releasing mechanism including a conical hood attached to said latch bar, ex-

tending over and forming a tunnel-like recess over the handle portion of the arm; to receive the thumb of the bearer of the arm whereby a forward movement of said latch bar is effected against the tension of said supporting spring.

CLIFFORD A. RAY. 

